sleight of home
TRANSCRIPT
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by
Emily Marina Morillo
Sleightof
Home
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Sleight ofHome
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byEmily Marina Morillo
California Polytechnic State University | San Luis ObispoCollege of Architecture and Environmental Design
Bachelors of ArchitectureFall 2012 through Spring 2013
Studio 400 | Karen Lange
Sleight ofHome
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vii
1. PrologueAbstract
The Man(ifesto) Wearing Rose Colored Glasses
Issue: Conjuring Reality
2. ThegosPelof sToryTellingMake-Believe
Vellum: The Magic CarpetCase Studies
Teatro Olimpico
The Shoppes at the Palazzo
3. Thegood old days UndertheInuence:ScotchandNostalgia
Case Studies
Forestiere Underground GardensWinchester Mystery House
4. siTe: Theold ChimneyMaps
Perceptions
Rose v Jade
24 Hour: Mirages
5. TriCkorTruTh
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TABLEof contents
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6. TellingThehisToryof dirTLearning On the Go
The Symbol of Home
7. aCTualizaTionSketchbook
Drafting Table
Self-Sufciency
8. ziP
Collaboration Under Pressure
9. BuilTSliding Plan Photos
Last Thoughts
Historical Shadow
Iconography
Archaeological Excavations
Of the EarthIsolation
Production Value
10. modelCiTizensTreasure Box
Detail Show
Wheel Barrow
11. aPPendix Notes
Image Credits
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SPOILER ALERT![Skip the next 2 pages if you really love surprises.]
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dunnigans gaP exPloraToriumReedley, CA, USA
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Disclaimer:
What you are about to read is a series of attempts to understandnostalgia and my childhood in the San Joaquin Valely. It took a
tonofdiggingtondthearchitecture.
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SPOILER COMPLETE.
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PROLOGUE
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xvii
Like sleight of hand, Sleight of Home is deceptive in
nature. Drawn from nostalgia and memory, it lives in limbo
between reality and fantasy. By realizing the power of nostalgia,
history becomes ethereal. Truths are distorted and forgotten
by the mind. As a result, the home is one of facades frommemory. The interior and exterior are in disagreement in the
way that memory and truth are.
aBsTraCT
Sleight of Home
SLEIGHT OF HAND | slt v hand [noun]1
1. manual dexterity, typically in performing tricks:dexterity, adroitness, deftness, skill.
2. skillful deception: deception, deceit, dissimulation,chicanery, trickery
HOME | hm [noun]2
1. the place where one lives permanently, esp. as a memberof a family or household
2. a place where something ourishes, is most typicallyfound, or from which it originates
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Theman[ifesTo]
Wearing Rose Colored Glasses
The well-kept sidewalk gives way to a wooden bridge;
frondsfromaourishingbananainvadecrepemyrtles.Four-
part harmonies of The Mellomen yield to exotic birds and tribal
drumming.Yourgazellswithanoldhutandaworkingbazaar.
Andjustlikethat,everyonemustplayapart.Forcedontoa
new stage, who will you be? The explorer, lost upstream deep in
the Congo or the indigenous royalty, ruler of the jungle. Dont
panic. There is no wrong answer here. Just let your new reality
seep into your bones as you play. In Disneyland, time moves
forwards, backwards and sideways in the matter of a few steps.
It proves to be an experiment of theme through every sense.
There is a natural curiosity that compels us to entertain
and delight. We have spent millennia writing fables and myths
that have given us wings, gills, and x-ray vision. Only recently,
with the advent of the amusement park has this fantastic realmbeen introduced to reality. We are willing to suspend disbelief
as we walk onto a stage.
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xx
This sense of play is a quality not many places have,
andrightlyso.Adreamersparalysisisnotidealinofces,in
grocery stores, in apartment buildings. These need to function
in a variety of ways and provide a number of services. But
when we wish to dream, we go to the stage. Amusement parks
are a low in culture, yet they captivate people the world over.
Theyevokeaworldloosingitstime.Nostalgiahasawayof
fending off that ticking clock, and offering up a landscape where
reality is just rosy enough to accept.
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THE HOUSE ON MAPLE STREET
It was a perfect lift-off.3
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issue
Conjuring Reality
Picture books are marvelous. Many succinctly capturedeep human emotion and imagination. The Mysteries of Harris
Burdickdoes just that through a series of illustrations. As the
story goes, they were given to a publisher as a sample of Harris
Burdicks work. He would return soon with the manuscripts
if the publisher were to buy any. Yet, Burdick never returned,
has never told those stories, and thus, the fragments remain.
The drawings are captivating. They form an odd collection of
moments, each one asking to belong to a story.
The imagination of any reader runs wild as glimpses of
lms,novels,andfablesracetollinthegaps.Thesensesare
stripped, and the audience speculates in the interim. Skeptics
protest while believers swoon in the face of grand illusion. The
issue at hand is developing a setting familiar enough to coax
the visitor along while undercutting comfort with oddity. The
surreal must mesh seamlessly with the real. Senses must be
hindered just as they are when experiencing one of Burdicks
illustrations.
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Afterall, when the lights go out, even your own house
hasalifeofitsown.Faintsoundsemerge,subtleshadowsarecast, and the environment takes on a new dimension. One
that we dont operate in, and usually experience only from the
refuge of our beds. What happens when we must venture out?
We struggle to believe that the fear is only in our minds. The
synapses sort though illusions and tricks theyve fallen for over
the years. But when the inexplicable materializes, the heart
conjures its own reality.
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the GOSPELof STORYTELLING
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3
make-Believe
the Truth of Fairy Tales
The beauty of the make-believe realm lies in its
uncanny ability to inspire reality. Through allegory, myths, fairy
tales, and fables, the fallibility central to life is explicit. They can
easily be shunned when looking through the lens to fanciful
worldsandhyperbolicgures.However,onceassimilatedinto
themind, they contendwith reality. Silly little stories reect
true consequence. Everymans truth is formulated from his
ownpsyche,neverabsoluteandintrinsicallybiased.Fromthe
inception of a thought, all facets created exist without question.
Only by jury can something be disproved. There is no absolute.
It is this undeniable power that allows us to let the pastand the imaginary pulse through out veins. Ergo, the volatile
concoction of fantasy and reality is the lifeblood of humanity.
Fairy Tales are more than true;
not because they tell us that dragons exist,
but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.
- G. K. Chesterton
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VELLUM
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7
MAGIC CARPET | majik krpit [noun]
1. A heavy fabric oor covering which serves as a form oftransportation
rst recorded in One Thousand and One Nights1
2. More recently, a carpet possessing personality andloyalty to its owner
(seeAladdin. Buena Vista Pictures Distribution,
1992.)
ThemagiCCarPeT
Vellum Furniture Exhibition
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Fly your very ownMAGIC CARPET!
Rug of your choice
FiberglassResin
Liquid HardenerFiberglassMat
BodyFiller
Power Sander
Sanding Block
Palette Knife
Spray AdhesivePlastic Cup
Burlap
FurnitureFeet
FeltPads
Drill
GlovesGoggles
Respirator
Clamps
Experiment with different rugs to shape the desiredpiece of furniture. I chose to make a bed side table out of a
runner, 2x7. With the overall shape in mind, I found the rugwas able to ripple and roll much better than early models.So, let the form ow as your shaping it up.
suPPlylisT
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9
insTruCTions
1. Check all labels, read and test berglass. Always wear
gloves and respirator when working. Pull mat apart in 2-6
inch sections and saturate all threads. The resin will coat
the back of the rug, but not seep through to the pile.
2. Layout and shape one section of the rug with the wrong
side up. Mix resin and hardener. Apply thin layer to onearea of the rug with palette knife. Build up by layering mat
and resin. Let it set and repeat on next section until wrong
sideisfullycoatedinberglass.
3. Usebodyllertodoaroughllofanyunevenareas.Always
overll,anyextrawillberemoved.Allowtoharden.
4. Usepowersandertosmoothoutresinandller.Sandingblock can be used on any area inaccessible to the sander.
Weargoggles,gloves,respiratorandlongsleeves.Fiberglass
particles are irritating to the skin.
5. Pre-drill holes in resin form, countersink screws, and attach
furniture feet.
6. Sprayberglasssurfacewithadhesiveonesectionatatimeandapplyburlap.Finishbyfoldingtheburlapedgeunder
itself, spray adhesive, and clamp.
7. Remove clamps, check all edges. Enjoy.
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11
the magic carpet built rome this morning.
the magic carpet publicly endorsed the cock and the bull,
though not at the same time.
the magic carpet doubts anyone named Thomas.
the magic carpet peeled the silver lining off.
the magic carpet has no brass tacks.
the magic carpet.
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12
The magic carpet embodies the etherial quality of
animation. Though it is a static object, the form appears to
utterandowasifalive.Sculpturally,itprovokesthemind.
Unconsciously, a sense of movement is attached, and instantly,theobjecthasanotherlife. Itlives,yingthroughtherecesses
of the viewers mind.
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Case sTudy | 1
TeaTro olimPiCo
Vicenza, Province of Vicenza, Italy
built 1580-1585
Teatro Olimpico was proposed by Andrea Palladio in
1579. The small theatre would serve the Vicenza Accademia
Olimpica.Fromtheexterior, itisamodestbrickbuilding,yet
once inside, a theatre springs up out of wood and plaster.
Palladio drew upon ancient Roman examples to create theamphitheater and elaborate frons scaenae, or stage backdrop.2
The seating, semi-elliptical benches, butt up to the stage,
whichisagranddisplayoftheorders.Originallyunnished,
the ceiling is now painted blue3 harking back to great outdoor
amphitheaters of ancient Rome and Greece.
The elaborate doorways would be completed after
Palladios death by Vicenzo Scamozzi with foreshortened
streetscapes modelled after Thebes.4 The seven streets were
placed so that every audience member could see at least one
of them during the performance. The main street positioned
behind the main archway is 12m long, yet it appears diminish
somewhere on a distant horizon. It was ultimately said to be
an ideal city, in wood and stucco, which would fall and destroy
itself at the mistaken entrance of an actor.5
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The harmony expressed through proportions of space
and facade were heavily studied by Palladio. The sophistication of
ancientRomehadnallybeenrecapturedbytheRenaissance.6
Founded by the ancients, yet realized by the humanists, this
theatre remains as a cultural landmark.
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Case sTudy | 2
TheshoPPesaTThePalazzo
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
opened 1999, expanded 2007
Las Vegas is a sea of facades. Each casino and hotel
creates its own escape experience by controlling the sights
and sounds of entertainment. One prime example are the
Shoppes at The Palazzo, formerly the Grand Canal Shoppes of
The Venetian. This interior stage is modeled after Venice, Italy.
Small streets lined with boutiques offer up a unique shopping
experience. The core of the Shoppes lies at St. Marks Square
under a high ceiling imitating a sky. Adjacent to the square are
the gondolas waiting to whisk you down the canal and under
foot bridges in this Venetian fantasy.
This stage of sorts moves the visitors out of the desert
and places them into a Venice that never has and never will
exist. It is cleaner, it isnt sinking, and it is across the street from
a jungle known as The Mirage. These Las Vegas facades createidentity, escape, and entertainment at every turn through
scenograpy.
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the GOODOLD DAYS
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underTheinfluenCe
Scotch and Nostalgia
How is Scotch made?
It starts with three simple ingredients: barley, yeast and
water. They are malted, mashed and fermented according to
time-honored methods. Then, the real transformation begins.
The distillation takes place which increases the alcohol level
from 6-8% before aging it in casks. Many Scotch whiskeys are
matured upwards of 10 or 20 years as they take on character,avorandcolor1 from the cask. Typically, whiskeys are diluted
to 40% alcohol in order to market, yet cask strength, for the
connoisseur, is about 60%. The crude alcohol found just after
distillation is a world apart from the elixir poured 25 years later.
Themaking of a ne Scotch is not unlike that of a
memoryand,subsequently,nostalgia.Eventsareledinreal-
timebythebrain.Theyoungmemoryisfreshandlteredonly
by your senses. Yet, over time, the skull has a tendency to act
asacask.Itbringsoutspecicnotesineachmemoryresulting
in nostalgia. This convoluted recollection, whether it be good
or bad, tends to hold more weight heavily than long forgotten
facts. Our psyche is at the mercy of nostalgia.
Svetlana Boym wrote about the duality of nostalgiain her bookThe Future of Nostalgia. On one hand, there is
a reective nostalgiawhichcan bea tool for understanding,
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forgiveness and comfort in times of loneliness. It is protective
in nature remind us of loved ones and happier times. On
the other hand, restorative nostalgia stems from an invented
tradition.2 It builds upon a collective myth out of respect for an
era lost to the passage of time. This counteractive version of
nostalgia can appeal to mirages of a nation recalling far outside
any one persons memories.
It is here, in restorative nostalgia, that a creeping
malaise can overwhelm the present. In America, people cursethe politics of today dreaming back to Reagan or JFK. The
lightning fast web supposedly corrodes human interaction. Any
number of modern depravities can be cited for disturbing the
integrity of traditional America. But, the undying worship of a
distor tedvisionismoredetrimentalthananyofthesesupercial
arguments. It can be likened to neurosis; enabling the mind to
function in dissonance. Emotions driving restorative nostalgiacan overrun history and retrospection creating a longing for a
place and a time that never existed. The feelings of loss and
alienation often halt people. Small frustrations roll into large
resentments against what is perceived as a heartless, changing
world.
Yet, reectivenostalgia cangivevalue to thepresent
and help inform the future. It can guide us into a world thatmay not have existed in the past, but may exist in the future.
This breed of nostalgia turns the pessimist into an optimist. In
this way, nostalgia emerges as a fundamental human strength.3
We must not forget that, ultimately, nostalgia is a drug.
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Case sTudy | 3
foresTiereunderground gardens
Fresno, CA, USA
built 1906-1946
In 1906 Baldasare Forestiere, a young Sicilian, broke
ground in Fresno, CA. Originally immigrating to NewYork
in1901,Forestierewashireddiggingtunnelsforthesubwaysystem.4 After some time though, he wished to own land
andbecomeafarmer. So,heboughtacreageinFresnoonly
to nd itwashardpan.5Thesoilswerenotonlydifcultto
cultivate, but would shed water before absorbing it. His land
was agriculturally worthless. Consequently, he decided to dig.
Overthelast40yearsofhislife,Forestierecarved10
acres of his land into a winding complex of rooms, halls, and
grottoes ranging in depths of 10 to 35 feet.6 Neverhaving
drawn plans of the spaces, his imagination took full reign in
excavating each space. The vaults and arches he constructed
stemmed from his memories of Ancient Roman ruins in Italy,7not
tomentionhisdiggingdays inNewYork. Theworkwasno
doubt strenuous. He used picks, shovels, a wheelbarrow, and a
Fresnoscraperpulledbyacouplemules.8
By the end, he worked solely on his architectural vision,
having left conventional farming behind. Instead he planted
subterranean gardens; a number of trees were planted and
graphed in the grottoes. By shooting the trunks up through
the skylights, dappled sunlight now illuminates the caves. Some
of the skylights were even formed to funnel water into theplanters, and because the foliage forms so high on the tree, the
fruit is actually harvested at ground level.9
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Fresnos climate often ranges from summer highs
around110Fallthewaydownto28Fonwintermornings.
In Forestieres underground gardens, the soils regulate the
temperature keeping both the plants and the people protected.
The rooms and cellars can be 10 to 20 degrees more
temperate than the surface.10Forestierealsoworkedthrough
the technical functionsof the space. Specicopeningswere
placed in order to create drafts and ventilation throughout the
complex.11Nottomention,havingcreatedthreelevelshelped
him control rain water and drainage. This way, his living spaces
wereneverooded.
Allinall,Forestieresinnateunderstandingoftheland,
agriculture and engineering make his underground home a
fascinatingexpressionofart.Heidentiedthetruechallenge
himself, To make it crooked and make it look nice - thats the
real work.12
Withtheoperationsofthecomplexsatised,thetruest obstacle is that of spirit. He would hand shape every last
clodofdirt.Someofhisnesttreesweregraftedtosustain
various citrus on one trunk.13 The attention to detail is both
inspiring and captivating. His other worldly oasis is no longer
inhabited, but a museum of his life and technique.
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The Winchester Mystery House was commissioned
by Sarah Winchester who allegedly believed that if building on
the house ceased, so would she. As a result, the house was
under continuous construction for 38 years. Mrs. Winchester
never had a master plan, but did sketch out individual rooms onpaper and tablecloths. According to legend, Mrs. Winchester
enacted a nightly seance to help with her building plans.14 She
had a number of dead ends and oddities built. One of which
beingaclosetwithnooor;agapingholeopenstothekitchen
below.Itwasherimpressionthatthesetrapswouldbafeany
malicious spirits that were after her.15 Imprisoned by her own
mind, Ms. Winchester would die in the house. The constructionstopped immediately.
ByThenumBers:16, 17
160 rooms
2 ballrooms
2 basements
6 kitchens
2 000 doors13 bathrooms
40 staircases
10 000 window panes
47replaces
17 chimneys
3 elevators
20 000 gal. of paint4.5 acres, today
161 acres, originally
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The poet is in command of his fantasy,while it is exactly the mark of the neurotic
that he is possessed by his fantasy.
- Lionel Trilling
Case sTudy | 4
WinChesTermysTeryhouse
San Jose, CA, USA
built 1884-Sept. 5, 1922
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SITE the old chimney
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los angeles
san franCisCo
yosemiTe
TheChimney fresno
san luis oBisPo
kings Canyon
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fresno
PoP. 501,362
reedley
PoP. 24,520
sanger
PoP. 24,599
kings river
hWy180
Clovis
PoP. 96,929
2mi5km
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JessemorroWmounTain
elev. 2083
CamPBellmounTain
elev. 1752
hWy180
1mi
1km
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PerCePTions
The Site at Every Speed
flyover
It stands alone.
Between towns, between hills, between time.
Fromabove, the site looksof an archaeological ruin.The plan of an extinct home is quite apparent; the roof and
walls have been removed leaving the front steps, perimeter
rock foundation, chimney, root cellar, and cistern.
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driveBy
The ruins serve as a roadside marker to drivers. Route
180, the Sierra Gateway Scenic Highway, dissects the San
JoaquinValleyrunningfromMendotatoKingsCanyonNational
ParkbywayofFresno.Fromeitherdirection,thechimneyisessentially all that drivers can see. It leans, drifting in the air. A
true ar tifact from another era.
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WalkThrough
Finally,theminutiaisdiscoveredastheforensicsbegin.
Walking along a lightly treaded trail, the stairs emerge. Upon
closer inspection, a deep crack splits them. The jagged black cut
pointstothedecapitatedreplace.Rocksofthechimneyare
strewn out before it like a hundred headstones. Even the walls
of the root cellar have succumb to the soils. They have been no
matchforthelandasittriestorellitsrightfultrench.Alowrock foundation rises out of the earth giving form to this some
time home.
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unseen findings
The soils areof the San JoaquinValleyprolewhich
are characteristically fertile and good for agriculture. However,
because of the terrain, the land is not ideal for cultivation. The
site is situated close to the road and at the bottom of Jesse
Morrow Mountain.
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors declines
a request from Cemex to mine Jesse Morrow Mountain in
August of 2012.5 The proposal for an expansive mine was
rstscaledbackandthenhaltedaltogetherastheboardwas
dissatisedwiththeenvironmentalimpactreportprovidedbyCemex. However, it is expected that the proposal is not lost,
this has been a decade long conversation.
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Grasses, thistles, andwildowers
envelope the hillside as the
Kings River brims. Between themelting snow pack and the rains,
everything sprouts up fertile.
Choleric storms break leaving
crystal views of the Sierras still
capped with snow. Although in
the valley, even the most turbulent
of days are often temperateforging benign blizzards out of
blossoms near the orchards.
And nally, the sleep. Freezing
nights hum with fans above the
orange crops as dense tule fog
cloaks the naked countryside.Quarantined in the grey, the earth
dozes off in the dark days of the
year.
Water supplies are often
stressed by drought.
The ice pack in the Sierra
Nevada Range is critical
for valley agriculture.
Low overnight temperatures
threaten citrus crops
every year.
In 2007, more than 100 carsand 18 big rigs were
involved in the collision
on HWY 99 as patches
of dense fog obscured
visibility.6
rosev. Jade
alTered PerCePTionsThroughTheseasons
Spring
Winter
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High suns and golden hills blast
the senses with heat. High
temperaturesaverageat95F,butregularlyriseabove100Fmaking
shade a valuable commodity.
Green pastures and crops quilt
the valley oor lapping up the
waterthatowshighinthecanals.
Before the oven is turned off, the
best stone fruits will be harvestedand the grapes will be laid out to
dry.
Nowallturnsaxen.Cornstalks
are slain, hay bales pepper once
full elds. As the sunbegins to
fall, those temperate afternoonsreturn. Dust kicked up by the
nalharvesthazesthesuncasting
particularly golden sunsets on
tired land.
InAugust2012,Fresnohada
record breaking monthly
average:102.2F.7
On September 14, 2012
a heat wave brought
temperaturesto106F.8
Dry hills give Smoky Bear
job security.
Excessive paritculates and
smog in the air enhancesunsets.
Fall
Summer
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24 hour
Mirages
iniTialundersTandings
Reality
This site is abandoned. No overwhelming use, no
human inhabitants, and only a few non-human. Finding out
about the ruins has been like pulling teeth. It appears as thoughthe landwasrst boughtbyDunnegan in1889, and is now
referred to as Dunnegans Gap. The house is speculated to
have been built not long after, but has since moved to and
remodeled in the nearby town of Sanger.9 When it was moved
is also unclear, perhaps 50 years ago; there are only a couple
archived articles that mention the house. It was described it as
a country house surrounded by olive orchards, which are now
completely erased. Today, the memory of a rural life wafts from
the abandoned chimney, not mobile enough to have made the
move.
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exPerienCe
Creating a Narrative
With all of these mirages adrift, I was compelled to
study what was left and reconstruct a memoir. After trekkingaround forabit, I satand let thehouselter in andoutof
memory. I began to draw.
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neWundersTandings
Surreality
The site is vivid enough to tell a tale without a concrete
story pinned to it. The thing about history is that there is no
absolute truth. The most fascinating parts of our existence
are emotion and intellect, not the list of dates on the timeline.
Historyisacerebralsmoothielledwithrelativetruths;itshiftsfromfacttoctionastimepassesjustasthesewaveringmirages
of a house do.
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TriCkorTruTh
Stages and Museums
Stages inherently provide a greater perspective of life
than museums do. Museums tell stories and teach information.
In contrast, stages invite stories to be lived and relearned.
Once true houses like the Winchester Mystery House
andtheForestiereUndergroundGardenshavenowbecome
trick. This conversion came when they ceased to house action.Today, both of these resemble dioramas of life rather than
lifeitself.Toursofpeopleleinandoutwhilethemuseums
continue to loose their homely qualities. The narrative from
the docent overpowers the space with aged tales of a bygone
era. And while architecturally rich, both of these spaces lack
emotional resonance. They are relics of another life, not our
own.Disneyland, Teatro Olimpico, and The Venetian are
architectural stages. The average user has a healthy disbelief
ofthesituationandyettheysuspendit.Forthetimebeing,
the community of users commit to experiencing this alternate
reality. Technically speaking, these stages are all trick. The new
fauxenvironmentiswell-delineated.Forexample,Disneyland
clearlydenes this boundary by referring toon stage andbackstage. The facade is maintained, but never denied.
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...the purpose of playing, whose end,
both at the rst and now, was and is,
to hold, as twere, the mirror up to nature.
-Hamlet1 by William Shakespeare
Yet, in the aforementioned community, a sense of shared
experience becomes the truth. Even in this escape from the outside
world, real life drama plays out before us. We cannot escape
humanity and emotion as we can any particular environment.
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53
telling the historyof DIRT
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TITLE
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The lonesome sites assets lie in its richness in land
and adjacency to the highway. Notonly is this setof ruins
able to tell a story, but it is on a well traveled route to the
KingsCanyonandSequoiaNationalParks.Asaresultofthese
factors, a museum program is well suited to the site.
Inital excercises expressed the movement of the
landscapeasittransitionsfromvalleyoortofoothills.Some
also interacted heavily with the road. The idea of the road side
attractiondenedtheexpressiveforms.Theywereultimately
removed considering their intrusive nature. It took away from
the landscape and moved the focus of the experience fromthechimneytotheairofthearchitecture.Theframeforthe
history became grandiose.
learningonThego
Museum & Pit Stop
Nostalgiaembellishesthehomeofyesteryear.
SixWords[No.1]
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The home that any given kindergartener scibbles down
in crayon is a powerful symbol in American culture. While it often
failstoresembleaspecichouse,ittakesonanetherealquality
lying somewhere between the myth of the American dreamand the reality of modern day suburban and rural architecture,
the single most recognizable gesture of which is the gable.
ThesymBolof home
American Iconography
Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one;
stronger than magician ever spoke,
or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.
- Charles Dickens
Formembellishesthehomeofyesteryear.
SixWords[No.2]
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ACTUALIZATION
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skeTChBookEarly Developments
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drafTing TaBleLate Developments
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siTePlan
DecomposedGranitePathswithSolarCellParkingatFence
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3rd floorPlan
Circulation at Grade including Grass View
N [1/16=1]
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2nd floorPlan
Main Entrance, Restrooms and Protected Courtyard
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1sT floorPlan
Museum, Composting Access with Service Elevator
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longiTudinalseCTion
FabricShadesoverCourtyardandPathonGreenRoof
[1/16=1]
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laTiTudinalseCTion
Vertical Circulation including Main Elevator and Stairwells
[1/16=1]
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We will now take a briefINTERMISSION.
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ziPExecuted by Studio Outbreak
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82
This amorphous form grew out of a simple, yet tedious
textile of zip ties. With over 200,000 ties and only 5 days, loose
conceptualsketcheswereeshedoutintoafulledgedbookshow. The resourcefulness and creativity in our last waking
hours made the exhibit space come together.
CollaBoraTion
Under Pressure
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BUILTPresentation Method
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Historical Shadow
In the late 19th cenutry, many agricultureal settlements
were founded in the San Joaquin Valley. Livestock, raisins, cotton,
citrus; many crops took to the climate well, thus starting whatwould become a vital part of the economy. In 2011, valley crops
accounted for over 60% of agricultural earnings in California.
lasT ThoughTs
Complete Concets and Final Staging
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90
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Iconography of the American Home
The phrase sleight of home describes the
transformation these ruins undergo in the scope of this project.
This site of a remnants look only to have been framed from thesouth. A gable and tower now complete the composition of
this lone chimney.
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93
Archaeological Excavations
Upon approaching the museum, the northern facadereveals that the land has been greatly manipulated. The exca-
vation reveals two things. One being the clear house reference
and the other being that the ruins are now hovering above
visitors, having been separated from the land.
Of the Earth
Functionally, thismuseum is on awell travelled road
leadingtovacationdestinationsintheSierraNevadaMountains.
Travelers need spaces to be comfortable year-round in this
roadside stop. Without the use of conventional HVAC, this
museum offers gathering spaces both indoors and out with sunorshade.Thisdiversitymakesupfortheinexible,monumental
concrete form.
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95
Isolation
As fertile as the valley may be, it is still a severe landscape.
Long streches of highway connect distant, poverty-stricken
towns. To live here requires a certain amount of stubbornness
and resourcefullness. The museum lives closer to the elements
using a wind pump, solar cells, thermal gain, composting toilets
and manual labor, in the form of a hand crank elevator. Theinsular mentaility is built into the design as much as it has been
built into the culture.
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97
Production Value
In telling the story of the Central Valley, I was committedto presenting in a notably different aesthetic. It had to set itself
apart from the sleek glamor shots of bustling city centers. Raw
materials and mechanical connections reinforce the design and
expressthenatureofthevalleyslanduse.Notonlyareviewers
asked to get closer and look deeper, but they are required to
do so in an effort to get the most out of the work. The set
ofslidingoorplans[shownleft]showmoredepthandhelpothers discaover relations in the geometry. This exhibit is a
template of what I imagine the exploratorium would embrace.
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MODEL CITIZENS
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TreasureBoxSite Model at 50 feet to 1 inch
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100
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101
While the chimney is a the thread of history ducking in
and out of view, the visual constant of the building is the tower.
He is understood at every elevation and from every side.
Specicallyonthemainoor,heistheforemostarchitectural
element. Structurally, he supports much of the staircase and
houses the hand-operated elevator. He stands tall enough to
rip the wind right out of the sky. Without the wind, we wouldnthave a lick of water. Even though the chimney gets a great deal
of the attention, the tower is the one doing most of the work.
deTailshoW
Hand-Crank Elevator and Water PumpDetail Model at 1 foot to 1/2 inch
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103
I didnt believe it could be done. It was just as he
had told me. I planted my abstract in the ground, watered
it, weeded it. Before I knew, Id propogated myself a genuine
morsel of architecture. Now, it would have been better at
full scale, but given the climate in Los Osos, the growth was
a bit stunted. As I write this, its been out of the ground a
coupleweeks.Thegrassesarelookingabitcrisp.Nevertheless,I expect it to come right back. Ill plant it back home. Id bet in
a few harvests itll be full size and ready for a grand opening.
WheelBarroW
Exploratorium Model at 1 foot to 3/8 inch
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APPENDIX
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109
noTes
by Section
1. Prologue
1. sleightofhand.OxfordAmericanDictionaries, 2012. 15Nov
2012.
2. home.OxfordAmericanDictionaries,2012.15Nov2012.
3. VanAllsburg, Chris. The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. Boston:
HoughtonMifin,1984.Print.
2. ThegosPelof sToryTelling
1. MagicCarpet.Wikipedia.Wikimedia Foundation, 22Nov.2012.
Web.30Nov.2012..
2. Vincenzo Scamozzi (Italian Architect). Encyclopedia Britannica
Online.EncyclopediaBritannica.Web.15Nov.2012..
3. Young, Jenny. Teatro Olimpico - Andrea Palladio. Teatro Olimpico.
Great Buildings.Web. 15Nov. 2012. .
4. The Teatro Olimpico. The Teatro Olimpico. Consorzio Vicenza.
Web. 15 Nov. 2012. .
5. Ibid.
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110
6. PALLADIOEILVENETO.Palladio.Web.15Nov.2012..
3. Thegood old days
1. HowScotchWhiskyIsMade.HowScotchWhiskyIsMade.N.p.,
n.d.Web.20Nov.2012..
2. Boym,Svetlana.RestorativeNostalgia&ReectiveNostalgia.The
FutureofNostalgia.NewYork:Basic,2001.41-52.Print.
3. Barbara Isanski. The Psychology Of Nostalgia. Medical News
Today.MediLexicon,Intl.,15Dec.2008.Web.17Nov.2012.
4. ForestiereUndergroundGardens:Facts,http://undergroundgardens.
com/amazingfacts.html
5. J.Torchia,TheUndergroundWorldofBaldasareForestiere.The
CoEvolution Quarterly Spring (1977), p. 94
6. Ibid., pg. 95
7. Ibid. 1
8. Ibid. 1
9. HGTV, Underground Garden-HGTV, http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=MFqhpgyvxXw(03May2010)
10. Mediterranean Gardens. Forestiere Historical Center Presents
ForestiereUndergroundGardens,http://forestiere-historicalcenter.
com/Undergroundwonders.html, (2006)
11. Ibid. 1
12. Ibid. 2, pg. 97
13. HistoricalDescription.ForestiereUndergroundGardens.,http://
undergroundgardens.com/summary.html
14. Sarah Winchester. Learn Winchester. Winchester Mystery
House.Web.18Nov.2012..
15. The House. Learn: The House. Winchester Mystery House. Web.
18 Nov. 2012. .
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Scene 2, Lines 20-22. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.
NewYork:Simon&SchusterPaperbacks,2012.Print.
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113
xxii.
6.
16.
18. a.
b.
22.
27. a.
b.
28.
30.
32. a.
imageCrediTs
by page
Van Allsburg, Chris. The House on Maple Street. 1984. Illustration
from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.
SIL483_PERSIAN_GONBAD_TABRIZ_RUG_2.4X3.3 CC Image
bywww.urbanrugs.comonFlickr
drama|realityCCImagebyMarcoBelluccionFlickr
TheVenetian,LasVegasCCImagebyMarit&ToomasHinnosaar
onFlickr
VenetianHotelLasVegasCCImagebySergeMelkionFlickr
07-mar-08CCImagebysashafatcatonFlickr
2007082627.jpgCCImagebymrphancyonFlickr
2007082623.jpgCCImagebymrphancyonFlickr
Winchester House CC Image by TilTul on Wikipedia Commons
PacicOceanMap.GoogleMaps.Google,28Nov2012.Web.
McKay, Scott. Ofcial map of the county of Fresno, California.
1:278,000. 1914. David Rumsey Map Collection. 23 Oct 2012. Web.http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/s/3944gz.
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114
CentralCaliforniaMap.GoogleMaps.Google,28Nov2012.Web.
CentralCaliforniaMap.GoogleMaps.Google,28Nov2012.Web.Thompson, Thos. H. Township 14 South, Range 23 East. 1:31,680.
1891. David Rumsey Map Collection. 23 Oct 2012. Web. http://www.
davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/s/i2u388.
Thompson, Thos. H. Range 24 East, Range 25 East, Township 14 South,
Township 13 South. 1:63,360. 1891. David Rumsey Map Collection.
23Oct2012.Web.http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/s/8tq6.
CentralCaliforniaMap.GoogleMaps.Google,28Nov2012.Web.
almondblossomsCCImagebydwolfgraonFlickr
PlumsintheFogCCImagebypuliarfonFlickr
Cornasfarastheeyecansee...CCImagebybenketaroonFlickr
AutumnGlowCCImagebykelsey_lovefusionphotoonFlickr
Chalkdrawing001CCImagebyKonradFrstneronFlickr
Collage by E. Morillo including CA-180 W/E Kings Canyon Rd Map.
Google Maps. Google, 18 Mar 2013. Web.
All other images attributed to E. Morillo
b.
33. a.b.
c.
34.
42. a.
b.
43. a.
b.
56.
68.
**
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